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Getting words down

NovelAI

DraftingPlotting and worldbuildingSubscriptionFiction

A story model with a lorebook, memory, and author's notes, built for long fiction rather than office prose. It is less filtered than ChatGPT or Claude, which some genres need and some writers will not want. The interface feels closer to a text adventure console than a manuscript editor.

Best for

Fiction writers who care about a dedicated story model and persistent lore more than a guided editorial workflow.

Pricing

Subscription. Subscription tiers with a prose model included. Image generation sits on the same account and spends a separate resource.

Listing checked 14 October 2026. Plans move. The vendor's page wins an argument with this one.

Visit NovelAIMore drafting tools

In-depth review

NovelAI review

Last checked 14 October 2026 against the vendor's public pages. Prices and features change; check the vendor before you buy.

Disclosure: The person who runs Writer's Toolbelt also makes ProseEngine, an AI fiction-writing app that competes with NovelAI. This review sticks to verifiable facts and links its sources below.

Writer's Toolbelt review

NovelAI

Story generation and anime-style image generation in one subscription, with a strong privacy pitch.

Tablet plan per month
free text generations to try
free image generations to try

What it is

NovelAI combines story generation, now "powered by GLM 4.6", with image generation using NovelAI Diffusion V5, which focuses on anime-style art ("sharper details, more characters, full comic pages"). Its story tool is pitched as "a story generator built to write with you, not for you", and as worlds "that remember everything". Every paid plan includes both text and images.

Screenshot of NovelAI's public home page
NovelAI's public home page, captured 14 October 2026.

Who it's for

  • Writers of interactive or exploratory fiction who like co-writing with an AI.
  • Fan-fiction and genre writers who want fewer content restrictions. The home page promises "no restrictions".
  • Writers who also want character art, especially in anime style.

Key features in practice

  • Story generation with memory for worlds and characters.
  • Image generation of characters, scenes and comic pages with Diffusion V5.
  • Anlas. Image credits that refill monthly on subscriptions. Text generation doesn't use Anlas.
  • Pay-as-you-go Anlas for occasional image users.
  • Privacy. The FAQ addresses whether "my privacy really [is] protected". Read the current answer on the site.
Screenshot of NovelAI's public home page, scrolled further down
NovelAI's public home page, scrolled further down, captured 14 October 2026.

Pricing (checked 14 October 2026)

Plan Price Notes
Free trial $0 50 text and 30 image generations
Tablet $10/month Text and image generation
Scroll $15/month Text and image generation
Opus $25/month Latest and largest text model; 1,000 bonus Anlas per month

The page also shows a "20% discount" note beside Opus. Check the details on the vendor site.

Pricing at a glance

  • Free trial50 text + 30 image generations
    Free
  • TabletText and image generation
    $10/mo
  • ScrollText and image generation
    $15/mo
  • OpusLatest text model, 1,000 bonus Anlas
    $25/mo
US$ per month as listed on novelai.net on 14 October 2026. All paid plans include image and text generation. Pay-as-you-go Anlas (image credits) are also available.
Screenshot of NovelAI's public pricing page
NovelAI's public pricing page, captured 14 October 2026.

Using it as a writer

  1. Use it as a sandbox. Explore scenes, voices and "what if" branches, then rewrite the keepers in your manuscript.
  2. Set up your world and character details first so generations stay consistent.
  3. Generate character portraits for your own reference or for reader extras.
  4. Check image usage rights in the FAQ before commercial use.

Strengths

  • Creative freedom and a privacy focus.
  • Text and images in one plan.
  • Affordable tiers.

Writer's Toolbelt editorial scores

NovelAI scorecard

7.8/10

  • Creative freedom9/10
  • Long-form manuscript tools5/10
  • Image generation (anime style)9/10
  • Privacy stance8/10
  • Value for money8/10
Editorial judgment by Writer's Toolbelt, not vendor data or user ratings. Scores are relative to other tools in this directory.

Weaknesses

  • Less manuscript structure than Sudowrite or Novelcrafter.
  • The image style leans anime.
  • Model choice is limited to NovelAI's own offering.

How it compares

  • NovelAI vs Sudowrite. Sudowrite is more structured for writing and revising novels. See Sudowrite vs NovelAI.
  • NovelAI vs Novelcrafter. Novelcrafter gives you a codex and any model you bring.
  • NovelAI vs ProseEngine. ProseEngine is made by this site's owner. See the disclosure above.

Feature comparison

AI fiction drafting tools compared

FeatureNovelAISquiblerType.aiStorysnapProseEngine
Free planYesYesYesNoYes
Lowest listed paid priceYes$10Yes$15.83Yes$8Yes$45Yes€8
All paid tiers have published pricesYesYesYesYesYes
Competes with ProseEngine (we disclose)YesYesYesYesYes
Derived from each review's pricing table (vendor pricing pages, checked 14 October 2026). Lowest price is per month (or per unit where stated) on the cheapest listed billing option. "Not listed" means the vendor page does not publish it; check the vendor site.

Verdict

NovelAI is great for playful, exploratory co-writing and character art. For finishing and revising a novel, pair it with a structured workspace.

FAQ

Is NovelAI free? There is a free trial with 50 text and 30 image generations.

How much does NovelAI cost? Tablet $10, Scroll $15 and Opus $25 per month as of 14 October 2026.

Does text generation use Anlas? No. Anlas are only for images, and text is included in any subscription.

Sources

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